Nighttime Rituals
by fluttercullen89
Summary: James has a few demands before his wife can go back to sleep.


"James?"

Nothing.

"James?"

A grunt was the response this time.

"POTTER!"

All of a sudden James Potter decided to wake up, a tangle of bedsheets and legs as he fell off our bed in the process.

"Wha?"

"Thank the LORD! I have to pee and your arm was smothering me."

"I'm up! I'm awake!"

I just shook my head as I ran down the hall. You know, one would think I'd be used to the smothering since I'd been married to the git for two years. I think part of it's my own fault, though. I had been denying him so many years that he probably can't even believe he still has me. It was stupid, really. I'm just glad his big head finally deflated.

Don't get me wrong, he could still be a prankster. I don't think Sirius would have it any other way. But the one big difference was this: he was MY prankster now.

It had been a long road to the day I finally gave in to him – but it was well worth the wait. Or so he's told me.

_It was raining buckets in the courtyard by the time I had finally gathered my things together. So naturally, I was soaked to the bone by the time I made it to the corridor. However, my irritation was quickly quelled when a sudden but welcome drying charm was used on my robes._

_"Alright, Evans?"_

_I turned around and smiled. This wouldn't have been the norm in my relationship with James Potter the same time last year. But we had been getting along quite well since Head duties began. I'd even been allowing him to hold my hand on patrols at night._

_He didn't try it much, much to my chagrin._

_I believe he was afraid I'd change my mind._

_I was more afraid he'd already changed his._

_But on this particular day, I was feeling a bit cheeky. Especially after he saved me from a very cold and heavy uniform. So I responded by grabbing his hand and started walking down the now empty corridor._

_"Alright, Potter?"_

_His answering grin was self-explanatory._

_We walked in cheery silence for a time, swinging our still-clasped hands as we went. But all of a sudden, James stopped in his tracks, yanking me from mine as he did so._

_"Lily... I have a question for you."_

_I smiled. "And just what would that be, James?"_

_"Now you can't say no until you hear me out. Promise?" He just stared at me, clearly expecting an answer._

_"Alright. I promise."_

_"Good. Now, I've been keeping track, and I don't believe I've asked you out in over two months. And I was just thinking, would it be so bad if..."_

_"It's been three months, actually."_

_This stopped him in the middle of his apparently well-thought-out speech. He seemed to think through his response for quite a while, his mouth open for most of the time. He closed it and looked back up at me, a dashingly saucy grin on his face._

_"And just how would you know that, Evans?"_

_He began inching towards me._

_I responded immediately. "Well. I'VE been keeping track, as well. You would think that, having been chasing me like a Quaffle for two years, you would have the common decency to keep track of when you stopped trying."_

_He was dangerously close now, his arms trapping me against the wall. He leaned even closer, whispering in my ear:_

_"It's been four years, actually."_

_And with that, he kissed me fervently, tangling his hands into my hair. Not that I complained._

I made it back to our bedroom after a few minutes to find my husband holding his knees on our bed. "Hurry up! I'm sleepy!"

I sighed, adjusting my gait to please him.

"You know what to do!"

Over the past few weeks I had learned to comply with his orders on this matter, so I just hopped onto the bed, laying flat out with my hands behind my head.

"Thank you." With that, he knelt closer to me, pressing his lips to my stomach and gently laid his hands where his lips had been. "Now then. Harry... I'm very sleepy tonight. But seeing as your mommy has very graciously given me the extra opportunity with her unexpected bathroom break, I forgot to tell you something earlier. Your mother absolutely HATES being called Lilykins. So do NOT, under any circumstance, call her by that name. You WILL be sorry. Your Uncle Sirius can tell you that from experience. Also, if McGonagall offers you a biscuit, just take it." He seemed to lose steam for a minute, but he remembered some more 'vital information on being a Potter at Hogwarts.

"Another thing: if you're not Chaser for Gryffindor I won't be too upset; there's always Seeker! You'll probably make it your first year."

James looked up at me after he told our son this. "Oi! Do you MIND? This is PRIVATE!"

I giggled, pretending to close my ears.

"Now that that sneaky lady isn't listening, let me be frank. If at ANY time when you're on the Hogwart's Express you happen to see a gorgeous and redheaded girl, don't think. Don't do ANYTHING but sweep her up into your arms and snog her senseless right then and there. Save yourself years of heartache and let her know you love her when you meet her. If this plan doesn't work, do NOT give up. The fiery redheads are well worth the wait. TRUST me. Anyway, she'll probably believe you by your seventh year. I just hope you get it through her pretty little head faster than I did."

After a few fluttered kisses to my bulging stomach, my husband flopped most unceremoniously onto his back and burrowed into my neck.

I wasn't going to let him get away that easily.

I grabbed his face and kissed him senseless.

After my welcomed attack he grinned sleepily at me, began smothering my stomach once more, and sighed "Alright, Potter?"

**Whoa. Two stories in one day! I must be on a roll! Thanks for reading my little idea. If you review, could you please write in how I respond if you want a response? I'm kinda new to this and I have NO idea how to respond to your amazing reviews. Thanks!**


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